Dave Brandon: 'Hopefully' Michigan-Notre Dame can build new series someday, but 'we can't make them play us'

Michigan athletic director Dave Brandon would like to see the school renew a football series against Notre Dame someday, but says it likely can't happen for at least 10 to 12 years. Melanie Maxwell | AnnArbor.com

Will Michigan and Notre Dame ever have an annual football series again?

"I can never be in a position to talk about forever into the future, hopefully the answer to (the question: 'will Michigan ever play Notre Dame again after the current series ends') is yes," Brandon said Friday during an interview with "The Huge Show." "But based on the practical realities of how far out we schedule those kinds of home and home contests, I personally believe it'll be at least 10 to 12 years before we can get into any kind of rhythm with a home-and-home series against Notre Dame.

"If we were to bring that rivalry back, it would (take) quite some time. The only (immediate) possibility we'll have after the 2014 game in South Bend would be if we ran into them in a bowl game. ... Or if there was some kind of a one-off neutral site game in the future."

Michigan's 2015 and 2016 schedules are full. The Wolverines will host Cincinnati in 2017 and will play a home-and-home with Arkansas in 2018-19. In 2020-21, Michigan will engage in a home-and-home with Virginia Tech.

On top of that, the Big Ten is moving to a nine-game schedule in 2016 -- meaning there will be fewer options for non-conference tilts than ever before.

Notre Dame opted to back out of the final three games (2015-17) left on its contract with Michigan last September.

Since then, Michigan coach Brady Hoke stirred the pot by saying the Fighting Irish were "chickening out," while Notre Dame defensive tackle Louis Nix fired back with a "#MeatChicken" comment days later.

Will Michigan and Notre Dame ever have a football series again? Brandon would enjoy that.

But he's not going to twist anyone's arm.

"It is a shame," he said. "We believe it's a shame, it's certainly not what we wanted. We respect their right to make those decisions, they've got to set their priorities and make decisions based on whatever their criteria is.